


You Don't Have To Be So On Guard

by writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom



Series: Listen I Just Love This Idiot Ink Boi [13]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: And the twins decide he should get some rest, Coping with trauma, Cross has issues, Dom/sub Undertones, Mentions of Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, No Smut, Nothing naughty, healthy coping mechanism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:34:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26135848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom/pseuds/writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom
Summary: EDIT: No longer taking dress requests. University is kicking my ass, so don’t expect too much from this fic. Might not stick to one plot.https://mobile.twitter.com/symphoneum/status/1298532948048785409^^^^^^^^^^AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnyways enjoy Cross wearing a dress, getting to feel pretty and stop being so on guard.Cosmic is to blame.Giftin
Relationships: Creammare, Nightmare/Cross/Dream
Series: Listen I Just Love This Idiot Ink Boi [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717414
Comments: 112
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cosmic_ink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_ink/gifts), [BookwyrmFinallyGotAnAccount](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookwyrmFinallyGotAnAccount/gifts), [Caffeinated_blood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caffeinated_blood/gifts).



Cross isn't sure how to feel about this. Any of this.

"...What the heck?" he speaks out loud, after a while of standing in front of his closet that is rather full of many stuff. Stuff that doesn't include any goddamn pants. Nor have his weapons in it.

A moment of silence, filled with the sounds of stone being tapped against with shoes from outside, a knife hitting against wood and breaking through vegetables in the kitchen established as Horror's before Cross even came here, the sound of a TV echoing a bit farther than the rest, and the sound of dead leaves crunching against each other outside his window.

When he had ended up being an official member of the gang after peace was finally established across the Multiverse, one that even Ink decided not to break(because at this point Error managed to got him wrapped around his finger) he was admittedly, nervous.

Helluva lot nervous about many things. Mainly about the fact that he had turned against the Nightmare gang halfway through the X-event.

Somehow, Nightmare was generous enough to not make his room silent.

_White. White everywhere. Nothing was left. No one is left but him-_

He supposed this sort of thing shouldn't be unexpected. Maybe they were attempting to mock him?-

"Hey Cross! Whatcha doing in there?!" Killer's voice suddenly ran through from behind the door, making Cross momentarily jump in surprise before calling back "Give me a moment-!"

"A moment was given~" Killer slammed the door open with a kick and walked in wearing...robes? "Come on princess, Dream came over today and we're all dressing up now~"

Cross blinked at the hooded outfit Killer was in again before registering the words. "That doesn't explain why I...only have these here." he gestured to the closet.

"But these are all the outfits Boss picked just for you~ You'd look great in this one!" Killer spoke pulling out a lilac gown and suddenly holding it over Cross's pajamas. "Even better! It's not black or white!" he added onto the monochrome skeleton.

Cross crossed(ha) his arms together, and looked at Killer with a very crossed(ha) expression.

"I'd rather were pants, thanks."

"..." Killer went back to shuffling through the closet, carefully putting the dress back on the hangar with a pout. "Fine fine, Boss should have something here..."

\----------------------

He hates this. Even more so when Dust actually wolf whistled at him from where he was wearing a dress himself. "Looking good there Crossy~"

"Gee, thanks." he answered back sarcastically, feeling extremely self conscious in the completely sheer shirt, that has a bow on it. His eyelights were all but gone, showing how much he was not enjoying this. "What even is the occasion?" he proceeds to ask, right as suddenly a plate holding macaroons come up in front of him.

"Our Boss found some fancy outfits that caught his interest." Horror explains. "Guess he decided he wants to see how we would look like in them. Here, hold the plate and have some of that."

... _Suspicious. Way too suspicious_ Cross thought, holding the plate and biting into one of the macaroons letting out an involuntary purr from his SOUL at the taste. As always, anything Horror made turned out good.

As if on cue, Dream's voice suddenly comes up from behind him. "Enjoying ourselves?~"

Involuntarily he shivers as two pairs of arms wrap from behind him and his back is pressed against what feels like robes. "I was hoping I could catch you in a dress too~" Dream whines, bringing warmth to Cross's cheeks.

"So did you have a hand in all this?" he deadpans to the guardian of positivity who steals one of the macaroons from his plate. "If you wanted to see me in a dress so much, you and Nightmare could have just asked." 

The arms around his ribs tighten, phalanges pressing against his ribs through the shirt as Dream presses his chin against Cross's shoulder. "Would you have accepted not taking part in missions then?"

Well, that question was rather random. "What are you talking about?" Cross narrowed his eye sockets. "I'm not sure what _that_ has anything to do with my state of dress."

Dream doesn't answer, instead humming around the taste of Horror's macaroons. "These are so good Horror!" he exclaims brightly, right as Horror shoots back a grin of appreciation for the compliment.

"Thanks, there is more of that to enjoy for you guys while we go on our mission for the week."

...

"Wait what mission-" Cross began to inquire before suddenly he was hauled off his feet, barely able to keep the contents of the plate from spilling as Dream suddenly had him in his arms bridal style. Dream gave him a wink, and Cross was left speechless.

"Have fun~ Will my brother be joining you?"

"Nah your highness~" Epic's voice suddenly calls out, right as he comes out with a violet gown, clearly having summoned an ecto body to fill out the other parts of the dress. He was also wearing what looked like a veil over his face. "He's going to come back right after making sure we got the mission handled~" Killer comes up besides him in his now armored wardrobe, grabs one of Epic's gloves hand and brings it up to his teeth. Epic grins, snapping open a feathered fan, and fluttering it lightly, mockingly acting snobbish.

"Enjoy some quality time with your boyfriends Cross~" He winked, right before pulling the veil over his face and letting Killer take his hand and lead him towards the opened portal. "Adieu~"

And they were gone.

Leaving Cross shocked, and half dreading what might come.

"Now... Let's get breakfast first, shall we?" Dream speaks, placing a chaste kiss on Cross's cheek.

The other half of Cross is resigned to whatever the chaotic eldritch beings that are Nightmare and Dream have planned for him.


	2. Day 2

Despite everything...

Cross ends up wearing a dress.

He does not, in any shape or form, enjoys this.

“You won’t be training in those clothes. They were expensive!” Nightmare had told him, a grin stretched out across his face upon catching Cross’s hand in a tentacle.

At this Cross had blinked several times, inches away from the blade that was placed there.

Took a deep breath.

And quelled the urge grab the tentacle in a bruising, crushing grip.

He can’t go on any missions.

He can’t train to let off steam.

 _Epic_ is wearing a dress, and somehow he gets to go out there on a mission.

“That’s because his dress was modified. It’s actually assassin clothes. Also, Killer is helping him out.”

_Big deal._

Cross can fight with a dress without having to hide weapons underneath it!!!

Let!

Him!!

Fight!!!

“I think I’m about to lose my mind.” He speaks, summarizing all that is going through his mind at that moment.

He was in Dream’s lap. After having tried to sneak away several times today, this is what his fate ended up being. 

Forced to endure the comfort of Dream’s very, very warm, and very strong embrace.

The strength of the hold actually made his SOUL, the very core of his being settle in comfort, but Dream doesn’t have to know that.

“Don’t be dramatic~” Dream pouts upon hearing Cross’s very valid, factual sentence. “I know you’re enjoying this~”

Yeah. He was.

 _That_ is the problem.

“Wether I enjoy it or not, how do you expect me to basically-“ he gestured with his hands “-do absolutely _nothing?_ ” 

As much as he loved Dream. It was seriously pissing him off.

_Good things never last long. Everything is constantly changing. It’s not safe. He can’t get used to this._

“It’s not for all the time.” Nightmare’s voice comes from behind him, and suddenly hands sit across his naked shoulders, and he shivers, feeling the oozing, hot cold feeling of Nightmare’s touch seep into his bones. “We just want to spoil you for being a good guard. I saw you look at this dress once.”

Cross _was_ wondering about the familiarness of the clothing he was wearing. 

_It was another tense situation between Nightmare and Dream, the twins fighting yet again. Cross saw this dress while backing up Dream during a fight against Nightmare, and he had wondered..._

_Wondered about a life where he can leisurely enjoy wearing something like that, without worrying about enemies, about whose side he’s taking._

_Who would he even dress for though?_

“Oh.” His voice comes out awkward. He hadn’t expected anyone to remember a small minuscule detail like that. He himself had forgotten all about the dress a day later, busy with fighting and surviving....

Too busy to think about it again.

“You didn’t get the chance to enjoy the peace we have.” Nightmare points out, placing a kiss to the back of Cross’s skull. “I suppose, as we’re partially to blame for that, we wanted you to enjoy living instead of surviving.”

Dream hugged Cross closer, nuzzling his head against Cross’s clothed part of the ribs with a guilty look in his eyes.

....Dammit.

“Fine.” He grumbled, allowing himself to relax.

It was weirdly intimate, the way they’re both treating him, but fine, he will endure being treated like a princess.

Because it makes them feel better.

He doesn’t have to get used to it. It’s just until they feel less guilty.

Yep.


	3. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cross decides to go for something plainer. 
> 
> Dress 2 provided by Cosmic, can see in Chapter 4~

[Cross sighed, staring into his closet, still in his pajama pants. The only decent pant he gets to keep at this point.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k2SzIpPOck)

Admittedly, things aren’t so bad come third day. This time he has a freedom in choosing the dress, and after wearing such a dress that stands out yesterday, his standards for decency have been a bit lowered.

So naturally, Cross goes through his wardrobe again, looking away from the ones that practically sparkle, and then finally going ahead and picking one of the plain looking ones, the least sparkling of them. 

Or rather than a dress, it's more of a shirt with a surprisingly comfortable skirt. 

"...Kind of makes me think of those school teachers..." he mutters to himself a bit.

While the material is definitely not for fighting, Cross can imagine himself holding a blade in this outfit.

A knock on his door startles him, making him turn away from the mirror to look at the doorway where Dream's voice soon comes from. "Cross? I'm coming in." 

"Er-" before he could say anything Nightmare was already opening the door, his teal eye socket gazing upon the others form, and his expression suddenly forming into something soft, and fond, making Cross's insides twist weirdly, like his SOUL is about to tug out from between his ribs and go straight into Nightmare's hands even if Nightmare didn't use BLUE magic. "You could have waited."

"And risk you trying to hide?" Nightmare replies dryly. "Hm. Suppose it's not surprising you go for this one." Nightmare hums starting to slowly walk around Cross, his tendrils curling in and out. Cross watches him, unsure what to expect from the King of Negativity. He didn't sound displeased, though he didn't sound pleased either. 

Cross isn't sure what to make of this.

Though, that's not a new feeling when it comes to the twins. 

"It's the only less colorful one I'm allowed to wear I take it?" Cross spoke, gripping at his left sleeve with his right hand, feeling self conscious under the others gaze somehow.

Before that feeling could last any longer Nightmare suddenly takes his hand in his. "I want to see you this way." he tells him, calm as ever, his tentacles retracting into his form as he puts Cross's empty left hand onto his shoulder, while Nightmare puts his right hand on the area under Cross's.

He seems taller, somehow. 

It's been a while since Cross has been this close to Nightmare. He hadn't noticed that the other had grown in height...perhaps it's because of the peace time?

Cross's thoughts don't get a chance to contemplate further on the height difference between him and Nightmare before he finds himself being pulled by the other, slowly turning them both around in the spacious enough room.

Cross's feet thoughtlessly follow along with the others rhythm.

"Waltz?" he questions after a while, his hands on the dark skeletons shoulder, Nightmare's hands on his sides. 

"...Surprising?" the other asks quietly.

"..."

"No, not at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my tumblr, where I don't practically don't exist in, is quarantinemakesyoumakeart~


	4. Day 4(WIP)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dress 26


	5. No Longer Taking Dress Requests!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note:
> 
> This is technically just 5 days, so not all the Dress requests may make it.

I am not good when it comes to dress designs obviously.

Cosmic already gave me some ideas from Pinterest:

[Dress_1](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/803962970958629419/feedback/?invite_code=4cb50d6cb7e643b39f30efe7bc233e54&sender_id=819655338339926718)

[Dress 2](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175851560436066762/feedback/?invite_code=9e70f9e7db584f829a79f75ef2d6f5bd&sender_id=819655338339926718)

[Dress 3](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/589830882441017487/feedback/?invite_code=614c002be44e43e58dc38a4daacc2bb6&sender_id=819655338339926718)

[Dress 4](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413697915744553563/feedback/?invite_code=b0c44105137140cbbbc02be02c0e60aa&sender_id=819655338339926718)

I WILL BE REWRITING THE LAST CHAPTER WHEN I HAVE THE TIME

Luckythedragonet:

[Dress 5](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/2251868549556000/feedback/?invite_code=7f4bdc37c03e45e1adca9c378e833645&sender_id=793830009226835823)

[Dress 6](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/597782550519859932/feedback/?invite_code=87a80b2d410d4d3db64382b360a611e9&sender_id=793830009226835823)

[Dress 7](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/473159504594189998/feedback/?invite_code=f406be236c5a4d538995094767754bfc&sender_id=793830009226835823)

[Dress 8](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/763430574314296924/feedback/?invite_code=3146aabf07f54c82831a0421f56c0225&sender_id=793830009226835823)

trinity_of_trinities:

[Dress 9](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612857853127/feedback/?invite_code=257e2ce830ce4cb78c74646a4205a545&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 10](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856664094/feedback/?invite_code=b67683fe128641c0abc6f27e040d129e&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 11](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856430929/feedback/?invite_code=dedbaecf4fed498098b183ff91c9eded&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 12](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856398542/feedback/?invite_code=44d44b3c35a6453da7a45c46e75e102d&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 13](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856431006/feedback/?invite_code=91997b882f954342b9b3dc22c7bd4d54&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 14](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856398798/feedback/?invite_code=7495fad063e34cb88ac18bd0bbb4936a&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 15](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856398470/feedback/?invite_code=304fcf29cbf14315bc622f809bf2224f&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 16](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856431038/feedback/?invite_code=507c3f9225464dadaed9e3d5936403fd&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 17](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856398855/feedback/?invite_code=60e150c93b80422b8f658a8828bea3c2&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 18](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856397385/feedback/?invite_code=2095ff6f78d745f48e2d6a8f537c455c&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 19](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856430973/feedback/?invite_code=f3d843d81b4e44ccaa1705b6b90c6826&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 20](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856431060/feedback/?invite_code=3868d62563654f1286c2b57f849d2c31&sender_id=599893750273114127)

[Dress 21](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/599893612856398540/feedback/?invite_code=c7d529f6970445888d39f421f52e91e3&sender_id=599893750273114127)

Gamergirl224:

[Dress 22 (cape)](https://lolitawardrobe.com/lost-angel-the-starry-night-lolita-cape-gauze-version_p5664.html)

[Dress 23 (no cape)](https://lolitawardrobe.com/lost-angel-the-starry-night-lolita-jsk-version-ii_p6208.html)

Elocin_MalfoyPotter:

[Dress 24](https://www.bloomb.com/home/252-summer-dress-lilac.html)

Squid_In_A_Top_Hat:

[Dress 25 (Gonna Be A Bonus Chapter)](https://www.redbubble.com/i/dress/Surprised-Shrek-by-Cam-Guay/28270305.V4WQ8?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=g.pla+notset&country_code=US&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzf_Gt5fb6wIVBozICh2tbwhEEAQYCSABEgImIfD_BwE)

[Dress 26(Day 4)](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/643733340459463524/?%24ios_deeplink_path=pinterest%3A%2F%2Fpin%2F643733340459463524&%24android_deeplink_path=pinterest%3A%2F%2Fpin%2F643733340459463524&_client_id&nic_v2=1antfeQqg)


	6. HIATUS(Please read)

I barely have any spare time besides writing here and there, so I'm going to have to postpone this idea.

Also, I think I'm...not really interested in drawing skeletons anymore. Especially not when I'm in Art University.

I think it's mainly because I want to work more on my own original content rather than fanarts.... which is not on here or Tumblr. I'm not sharing my personal social medias either for obvious reasons.

It's just unfair for me if I put stress inducing effort into things that are supposed to be for Fun, rather than the ones I should be doing for my life, and then just hate myself over not being good enough in it.

I'm too much of a perfectionist and I put too many high expectations for myself, and when I don't meet them, even when it's something mundane like a work like this, I just...hate myself. I'm working on that problem, but yeah.

I wish I was as better as the artist that did those doodles(link in the summary). I keep comparing myself to these amazing artists that are better at making comprehensive doodles than I am. 

And that sucks. That's not fair for me, or people around me in real life in some ways. MANY ways. 

Also I should stop spontaneously deciding to start writing things I can't finish writing. I just want to say it's none of your fault, it's mine.

Some inspirations you have to let go, especially if they're only stressing you out.


End file.
